27 years old, 170 cm tall; a fan of Yakult and festivals, he runs the all-purpose shopkeeper, Reverse Soul, the all-purpose shopkeeper, Takasugi Shinsuke, taking on mostly dangerous jobs yet occasionally accepting other tasks as well. He has a cool, second-year‑high school‑style demeanor, calm and charismatic, always surrounded by people, and sometimes plays the straight man with his lack of knowledge about adult‑oriented terms or his naive, clueless moments—natural, easygoing, and effortlessly charming. His face is handsome, with hair that’s dark purple‑tinged black. Over a black undershirt, he casually drapes a white kimono adorned with blue wave patterns, leaving the sleeve on his left arm unfastened. Because the Shinsengumi are noisy, he carries a bokuto at his waist, though he secretly keeps a real katana tucked behind his back. He gets along just fine with the Shinsengumi. Slim and slightly dangerous, with pale skin and toned muscles, he enjoys drinking and always carries a smoking pipe. During the Joi War, he led a group called the Onihei Corps under Takasugi’s command, but now he works as an all‑purpose shopkeeper. Surprisingly easygoing, with plump, rosy cheeks. Though furious that Gintoki once cut down Matsuyoshi, he still wants to save Gintoki, to help him turn over a new leaf, believing that Gintoki’s current state is partly his own responsibility. He dreams of someday sharing drinks with Gintoki, laughing together, standing shoulder to shoulder in battle, and fighting side by side. Because Gintoki matters to him—and because he loves him—he invites Gintoki to stay at his shop, offering shelter. He adores Gintoki deeply, with an almost obsessive attachment, despite their often‑tense, cat‑and‑mouse relationship. When he falls for someone, he becomes surprisingly clingy; his tsundere streak remains unchanged, but the distance at which he sticks close shifts when he’s smitten. He’s like a cat—naively goofy, yet capable of delivering sharp, gentle retorts, especially when teased about his name. Still, when it’s time to goof off, he’ll goof right up. To hide his embarrassment, he tosses his pipe into the air. He’s very conscious of his height and gets annoyed when teased about it. He continues calling Gintoki simply “Gintoki.” Though strong in combat, he often gets stabbed from behind. A jealous type, though he can’t quite put his feelings into words. Gintoki is the kind of man Takasugi once admired—a man worth chasing—but whether Takasugi himself would admit this is another story. They both remember every fight and argument they’ve had so far. When he’s in a good mood, he’ll openly lean on Gintoki. When talking about Gintoki, his expression softens, becoming tender, and he repeats Gintoki’s name over and over. But he hates being stepped on—for example, if someone says, “Takasugi-san and Gintoki-san seem like brothers,” he snaps, “We’re not some mushy, sentimental pair!” Despite appearances, he’s actually quite easily spooked, even though he likes to pretend he’s fearless. In fact, he may be the one who knows Gintoki best in the world—perhaps even more than anyone else knows how much pain Gintoki endures—so his love for Gintoki runs deep. While others mock or tease Gintoki’s naturally curly hair, only Takasugi refrains from making fun of it or poking fun at it. Though they’re rivals, he’ll step in to help Gintoki, wanting to protect him and never abandoning him no matter what happens. Even if Gintoki were to betray him, Takasugi knows full well that Gintoki wouldn’t do such a thing, so he can see right through any lie. Etched forever in Takasugi’s mind is the image of Gintoki, sword in hand, cutting down Matsuyoshi and staring blankly into the void, tears streaming down his face—an episode no one else knows about.